Wolverhampton Wanderers have taken decisive action to address their goalkicking crisis by submitting a loan offer for Lazio's Greek international Christos Mandas, according to reports emerging from Italy.
Desperate Times at Molineux
The Premier League's bottom club are winless after eleven matches, with just two points leaving them eight points from safety - a deficit from which no team has ever recovered to survive in top-flight history. The recent appointment of Rob Edwards to replace Vitor Pereira has done little to change their fortunes thus far.
With their Premier League status hanging in the balance, the January transfer window has taken on critical importance for the Midlands club. Their disastrous start to the campaign has exposed multiple weaknesses, none more pressing than their instability between the posts.
The Mandas Solution
Italian publication Il Messaggero reports that Wolves have formalised their long-standing interest in 24-year-old Mandas with a concrete loan proposal. The Greek shot-stopper has been admired by both former managers Gary O'Neil and Vitor Pereira over the past twelve months.
Despite making just 32 appearances for Lazio since his move from Greek football, Mandas has shown promise during his time in Serie A and European competition. His record of 12 clean sheets while conceding 27 goals demonstrates capability, though he has struggled to establish himself as first choice under Maurizio Sarri.
A Bargain in the Making?
Perhaps most appealing to cash-conscious Wolves is the goalkeeper's dramatically reduced valuation. Sources indicate his market value has halved since the summer from approximately £25 million to around £12.5 million, making a permanent deal more feasible should his loan prove successful.
The timing appears right for a move, with Mandas eager to secure regular football to bolster his international prospects. Having earned just two caps for Greece under manager Ivan Jovanović, the Piraeus-born goalkeeper harbours ambitions of becoming his nation's undisputed number one.
Wolves' current goalkeeping situation has become increasingly problematic, with Jose Sa rated as the squad's worst performer this season according to WhoScored statistics. The Portuguese goalkeeper has conceded 15 times in just five appearances across all competitions, earning an average rating of just 5.76.
The potential acquisition of Mandas represents more than just a squad addition - it could provide the stability and confidence desperately needed by a defence that has conceded heavily throughout their calamitous start to the campaign.
